Cruz solidifies right flank

U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz address delegates at the Texas GOP Convention in Fort Worth, Texas Friday, June 6, 2014. Cruz has fired up the Texas Republican Convention, promising to lead a conservative revolution unseen since the days of Ronald Reagan. The tea party favorite is a possible 2016 presidential candidate, and seemed like one during his speech Friday before thousands of adoring delegates who gave him numerous standing ovations. (AP Photo/Rex C. Curry)

In a state as large and diverse as Texas, it's not hard to imagine that political organizers on one end of the state differ in goals and objectives from those on the other end. Among the tea party crowd, however, its rise to the most dominant force in Republican politics has spawned different influential activists and groups, but there has been relative calm among their ranks.

That's why when U.S. Sen. Ted Cruz announced on Tuesday that he would appoint JoAnn Fleming as Texas tea party chairwoman for his presidential campaign, it did not come as a surprise.

"JoAnn is one of Texas' most experienced activists and has a long record of leading the fight for conservative principles," Cruz said in a statement. "She has been a supporter from the very beginning when no one thought I had a shot at even becoming a senator, and through her hard work and dedication we proved the establishment wrong."

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He continued: "Under her leadership, I am certain we will see a groundswell of support from the grassroots in Texas, along with an army of volunteers and supporters to help us be very competitive in our home state."

They do have a history working together in Republican politics. Cruz seemed intent on mentioning Fleming's efforts to get him elected, to boost his chances at winning the GOP Senate primary against former Lt. Gov. David Dewhurst. Because of her and her allies' work, in short, America knows who Cruz is.

Fleming, the Tyler-based executive director of Grassroots America We the People, was equally laudatory of Cruz's short tenure in Washington so far, calling him "the leading voice for our principles" against, yes, "the Washington Cartel."

"Ted is a consistent fighter – standing strong for the rule of law, standing up for the American people, and standing against a big government that is squandering our heritage and our nation's future," she said in a statement released by the campaign. "True to his word, Ted has taken on the special interests, the lobbyists, and the career politicians in both parties to return government to the people."

Her endorsement comes at a time when the Cruz campaign may have figured out it needs to nurture the first cheerleaders it ever had. Last week, the North East Tarrant County Tea Party group, one of the most prominent groups across the state, said Cruz "turned us down, even for a town hall, which his own people asked us to jointly host."

The update continued: "They told me he doesn't have time. This one kind of surprised me and was quite a disappointment." According to the group's website, there are at least three open slots on their "POTUS Candidate Series" over the next few months. It looks like only former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum, R-Penn., has confirmed a date.

AgendaWise, the right-wing blog, was quick to jump on the news of Cruz's absence, effectively summing up the problem this poses for Cruz among Texas tea party voters as the senator focuses on wooing Iowa and New Hampshire conservatives.

"Ted Cruz has conservative Texas voters to thank for his current position in the Senate," the blog read, "and there is no more representative tea party than North East Tarrant County Tea Party."

It is easy to capitalize on a perceived rift between otherwise friendly groups and activists, and many in the tea party circles will jump on the media, as they often do, alleging that they don't understand the movement's dynamics. What matters about Cruz's appointment of Fleming is that by the time his presidential campaign comes to Texas next spring, whatever happens in the states that vote first, Cruz will need to sew up support from ever state tea party group of consequence.